Joyriding Across the Atlantic: United BusinessFirst & SAS Business Class
Mar 7, 2014, 9:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Joyriding Across the Atlantic: United BusinessFirst & SAS Business Class
Introduction
Flying for the sake of flying is what sets us FlyerTalkers apart from the rest. While 99,9% of the population see air travel as a chore, a painful transition in getting from one point to another, a process they'd wish to just get over with, etc. Sure I can't blame them. If you're going to stand three hours in airport queues, get molested by security staff, re-mortgage your house to pay for an overpriced sandwich before spending 13 hours in Seat 96B, then yes; Air travel is a pain in the a**.
But to quote Ryan Bingham "If you hate flying, you're not doing it right". A quote which fits perfectly with the savvy FlyerTalker who knows his way around the inconveniences of air travel. Flying is for us a purely joyful experience. We skip the a queues at check-in and security, we trade the overpriced sandwich for a glass of Champagne in the lounge. We enjoy 5 course meals, and a good night's sleep in the flatbeds at the pointy end. And in those rare [or not so rare] instances of flying coach, we always make sure to nab an exit seat.
Needless to say, if the infidel who called you crazy for flying to Tokyo over a weekend knew what he was missing, he would be eternally regretful for being proven so wrong.
When an opportunity to fly for the sake of flying presents itself, I along with many others take it right away. In my case, I happened to have some leftover LifeMiles that needed spending, so after checking availability on my suited dates I came up with the following itinerary:
SNN-EWR: United Airlines BusinessFirst on the B757.
EWR-ARN: Scandinavian Airlines Business Class A330.
An ARN-DUB positioning flight on SAS was also booked, in addition to a bus ticket from Dublin to Shannon, costing me around 110 USD in total.
While I was excited about adding two new Business Class products to my repertoire, I felt incredibly happy about finally getting the chance to try SAS Long Haul Business Class, a product that I never thought I would get the chance to experience. Sure it's far from the newest, nor best product out there. SAS is unlike many other airlines very home market oriented, and while their long haul operations are almost non-existent, their Business Class fares have always been priced shamelessly.
As I am no big fan of the airline, I have refrained from joining their EuroBonus program, and since I don't have a co-branded SAS AMEX card, the likelihood of me ever seeing the pointy end have been microscopical.
While SAS may not be my favorite airline, I still fly them from time to time within Europe as they sometimes offer good fares and decent schedules. SAS have to me never been anything more than a glorified LCC, so you could perhaps imagine my [over]excitement of finally getting the chance to sample their finest offering on their flagship route. The Holy Graal of air travel, créme de la créme, the very pinnacle of exclusivity and premiumness. After all it's SAS we're talking about
Leaving Ireland
After four wonderful days in Dublin it was finally time to move on. After an ungodly wakeup at 5am, I catch the EuroLines bus from Dublin to Limerick at 7am. The bus ride takes roughly four hours and offers some scenic views of the lush irish landscape along the way. I arrive in Limerick at 11am, and after spending a few hours wandering about the streets I decide to call it a day and head to Shannon Airport.
Here are some highlights from my stay in Ireland:
Park Inn By Radisson Shannon Airport
With my flight leaving Shannon at 9am in the morning, there would be no chance of me making it from Dublin in the same day, so I was forced to spend the night prior at a hotel. Hotel options in Shannon are very limited, and unless you want to spend the night in Limerick the only hotel available is the Park Inn. Luckily I am a Club Carlson collector, and with the 38K points campaign running, I was more than happy to book the Park Inn to secure my bonus for the campaign. I secured a rate of €43,20 which is very reasonable in my books.
I arrived at the hotel around 3pm in the afternoon. Despite arriving past the check-in time, my room was not yet ready, so the friendly woman at the receptionist invited me to the Hotel pub for a complimentary pint of Guinness while waiting for my room to get ready. The barman poured an excellent pint, and after sharing a few good conversations my room was ready.
As a Carlson Gold (at the time) I was upgraded to a Superior Room with free breakfast, and I also received a small welcome gift in my room. A very nice touch.
Superior Room at the Park Inn by Radisson Shannon Airport.
Newly refurbished bathroom. Very nice!
Welcome gift consisting of a bottle of red wine, mineral water and chocolates.
There have been some mixed reviews about the Park Inn on websites such as Tripadvisor, and truth been told I tend to disagree with them. The hotel was very clean and fresh, rooms were quiet and the staff was very friendly. The hotel had a nice country house feel to itself which made my stay very enjoyable. So if you ever find yourself looking to spend the night at Shannon Airport, the Park Inn is your go-to hotel.
Tuesday February 25th 2014
After a great night’s sleep and a steady Irish breakfast, I leave the hotel at 6.55am. The hotel is located within walking distance from the Shannon terminal and by 7am I reach the check-in counters for my United Airlines flight to Newark. A total of five counters were assigned for this morning’s flight, three for Economy, one for United Premier Gold/Silver and Star Alliance Gold/Silver, and finally a Global Services counter for BusinessFirst, Global Services and Premier 1K/Platinum.
Before reaching the counters, a security checkpoint was had been set up by airline security staff. Each passenger was summoned about the contents of their luggage and the purpose of their trip before being allowed to access the check-in counters. My somewhat odd itinerary had the agent manning the checkpoint extra concerned, and I had to endure some additional questioning from a supervisor before being allowed to access the counters. Apparently the cause of the holdup was my Swedish passport of the new variety which the agent had never seen before.
With no queue at the Global Services counter I am quickly checked in for all my flights, and when the boarding passes are handed to me I find myself in a slight state of chock to see SSSS printed all over my United Airlines boarding pass.
Needless to say the security check goes without hitch, and I soon find myself in the rather dull and sterile airside portion of Shannon Airport. I make a quick visit to the rather dull Rihanna Suite Lounge before proceeding to the US Customs and Border Protection Pre-Clearance facility to have my customs and immigration formalities taken care of. Shannon and Dublin are the only two airports in Europe to feature Pre-Clearance facilities and they provide a great convenience to the passenger as you don’t have to endure queues on arrival.
The facility is used by one flight at a time, so I join the queue for passengers onboard UA24. This is where the SSSS curse strikes me hard, and after the agent inspects my boarding pass she signals to her colleague at the other end to pull me aside for an additional inspection. After sweeping my hand luggage for any potential signs of explosives I proceed to the passport control where the rather grumpy agent raises some concernes about my routing. After the usual finger prints and photo, I am taken in to the CBP office for some extra summoning by an agent. The agent turned out to be a very friendly guy in his mid 30s and after establishing that I pose no threat to America, he stamps my passport and wishes me a pleasant flight.
United Airlines flight UA24 Shannon – New York Newark
Departure: 09.00
Arrival: 11.25
Duration: 7h 25m
Date: 25 February 2014
Aircraft type: Boeing 757-200 Winglets
Seat & Class: 2F BusinessFirst
By the time I am released from the CBP office most passengers have already boarded and since Boarding Group 1 had already been called, I join the queue for Group 3 which was currently boarding. Economy Class turns out to be fully booked on this flight, whereas BusinessFirst is fairly empty. Boarding is made through door 2L and at the door I am greeted welcome by a friendly young stewardess who directs me to the left with a big smile. Oh how I love turning left at boarding!
BusinessFirst seats on the Boeing 757-200ER. Only the ex-Continental aircraft make the transatlantic crossings.
Most passengers had already made themselves comfortable in their seats by the time I arrived, and despite the light load I have an older woman as seat mate in 2E. Instantly upon settling into my seat our inflight service manager Shane comes around to greet every passenger by name in the BusinessFirst cabin. Menus and amenity kits were distributed and meal orders were taken shortly afterwards. Shane took the time to chat with every passenger in the cabin and it turns out that he used to live in Stockholm.After exchanging a few words in Swedish we are handed over to our purser Cheryl who is working in the BusinessFirst cabin on this flight.
Cheryl offered to take my order for pre-departure beverage, and unlike most European or Asian airlines there was an open bar on the ground. Out of habit I ordered a glass of Champagne, and my seat neighbor decides to follow suit. Once boarding was completed my neighbor decided to move to the penultimate row since it had an empty window seat, so I am left with two seats for myself. Perfect!
With boarding and loading complete a few minutes before scheduled departure, we leave the gate at 8.57am for an on-time departure. Our 757 rockets down the runway before taking to the murky skies above Ireland. Our ascend offers some spectacular views over the Irish coastline and the rather outlandish cloud formations above, before reaching cruising altitude roughly 25 minutes into the flight.
Cruising altitude. View from seat 2F.
On the ground I inquired about which brand of Champagne that would be served on this flight, but as the trolleys were locked and loaded Cheryl was unable to answer my question at the time. So once the seatbelt signs had been switched off, Cheryl instantly comes around to present me the bottle. The Champagne served today is Pommery Brut Royal NV and with my nodding off approval she pours me a glass. A ramekin of nuts and a glass of water are instantly brought to accompany the Champagne.
A glass of Champagne and warm nuts to start the meal service.
While I may be no Champagne expert, I found myself very pleased with the Pommery. I am mostly for fruity Champagnes as opposed to dry ones, and this Pommery offered some nice fruity tones, mild acidity with a gentle dry aftertaste.
Moments later, Cheryl comes around to lay my table. Unlike most airlines United choses not to use trays in BusinessFirst and all the items are laid out individually on the table. To be honest there isn’t much effort required from the crew to lay the table and I really think more airlines should follow their lead as it adds a nice premium touch to the experience.
Table setup in United BusinessFirst. Very elegant!
With the table laid, an appetizer cart is rolled out. Unlike back in the olden days when the CO catering concept was still in use, there is no hot appetizer or soup. Instead all appetizers are plated table side which again is a nice touch.
Appetizer consisting of smoked loin of salmon, roman lettuce and gravlax with wasabi mayonnaise.
While the portion size may have been more akin to a small canapé, in other words minimal, the taste was absolutely fantastic. The salmon was fresh and had a very nice non-fatty texture. Despite being somewhat lean, the salmon packed some great flavors which were complemented well by the wasabi mayonnaise. Overall this was a very enjoyable starter, with the small portion size being my only gripe.
After the starter plates had been cleared, the salad course was served from the galley.
Salad consisting of rocket leaves, spinach, cherry tomatoes, walnuts and croutons. All sprinkled with a nice balsamic vinaigrette.
Unlike most americans, I prefer not to have my salad drenched in a fatty Rhode Island dressing so I opted for the lighter balsamic vinaigrette. The salad itself was generously proportioned, served nicely chilled and all the ingredients tasted very fresh. I particularly enjoyed the variety of textures coming from the croutons and walnuts, and the dressing helped soften up the croutons which helped enhance the flavor of the both. Again a very enjoyable salad course and I really appreciate that United serves it as a separate course, as opposed to on the side like most European airlines do.
Next up was the main course. Since a few months back, I have stopped ordering red meat on planes since the cabin conditions are too harsh for the meat. Instead I have opted more for fish courses which come out fairly well when served on an aircraft.
Main course of tilapia fillet with chili coconut milk sauce, shrimp, green beans, grated potato, served on a bed of basmati rice.
Once again United manages to impress with the main course, and this tilapia fillet is sublime! The fish is nice and moist in its texture while at the same time maintaining a lot of flavor. The coconut milk sauce complements the fish well without masking any of its flavors, and the grated potato adds an interesting crunchy texture to the dish. Basmati rice is fluffy and perfectly cooked, and the green beans are strangely enough served cold. Overall one of the better fish courses I’ve had on an airplane, and for future references I will stick to ordering fish.
With the plates from the main course cleared, Cheryl rolls out the cheese cart. Despite being very full from the main course, I soldier on and accept her offer for some cheese and port.
Cheese plate consisting of cheddar, chčvre, camembert and blue cheese. Served with a glass of port.
To my big surprise, the cheese was served at room temperature which is the only proper way to serve cheese as the higher temperature helps bringing out all the flavors of the cheese.The texture was nice and soft, and I particularly liked the chčvre. Though the amount of crackers may have been a bit small and I would have also preferred some fig paste to act as the sweet component. Thankfully the port wine worked well as a substitute, and the sweetness from the wine was enough to balance the savoriness from the cheese.
Since I was fairly slow in devouring the courses, I missed the sundae cart but thankfully Cheryl offers to make me one in the galley. An offer which I accept, and soon I am presented with this decadent creation:
Ice cream sundae with chocolate and caramel sauce, strawberries, grated almonds, whipped cream and cherries on the top.
The sundae cart is a signature feature on most US airlines, including United. Despite being stuffed to the brim after the extensive meal service I enjoy every single bite of my ice cream sundae. Interestingly enough the ice cream had a nice and soft texture to it which is fairly unusual since ice cream is stored in dry ice on airplanes, which results in it being served rock hard for most of the times.
The meal service is completed approximately two and a half hours into the flight, and feeling full after lunch I decide to explore the seat features before having a lie-down.
The BusinessFirst seat is one of the better fully-flat seats that I have come across. It offers a good amount of personal storage space both in the shelf under the screen and in the small compartment beside the headrest. The back compartment contains a USB connector, power outlets and headphones. It was large enough to fit my DSLR camera bag and Bose QC15 headphone case, making them easily accessible throughout the flight. The slightly staggered layout and cocooned seat design provides a great deal of privacy from your fellow passengers.
Legroom is very generous, and the small ottoman is a nice feature as well.
The seat controls are very simple as they consist of only four buttons, but in spite of that I found the seat to be very comfortable in both the upright and lounge position. Being six foot tall, I found the seat slightly cramped in bed mode, despite the length of the seat being advertised as 2 meters. For window passengers the foot space is very restricted and if you have large feet, I would suggest either picking an aisle or a bulkhead seat.
United offer a fairly extensive entertainment selection onboard their International Boeing 757-200, featuring roughly 100 movies and TV programs. The number of newly released titles was fairly sparse, but seeing that I only had four hours left of the flight, I settled for Last Vegas and The Internship. Two very entertaining movies.
The 15,4 inch entertainment screen in BusinessFirst. It offers a good resolution and image quality.
Halfway through the flight a slightly burned smell emerges through the cabin. My first reaction was that there might be a fire onboard, but moments later Cheryl shows up with a tray of freshly baked cooked. Disaster averted
Cookies & Milk. A perfect mid-flight snack.
The reminder of the flight proceeds in a nice and calm tempo, and before I know it we have already made landfall over Newfoundland, steadily approaching US airspace.
Approximately 60 minutes before arrival in Newark a light meal is served. Seeing that I’m still full from lunch, I was originally planning to skip the meal in favor for more rest, but in the interest of this trip report I ”took one for the team”.
Pre-arrival snack consisting of a hot chicken tortilla wrap, vegetable salsa, fruit salad and Lily O’Brien chocolate pralines.
The meal came as a bit of a letdown and was nowhere near as good as the lunch served earlier. The wrap was served lukewarm and the contents were soggy and nearly unidentifiable. I only eat a couple of bites before putting it aside. The fruit salad on the other hand was very tasty. Fruit tasted ripe and fresh. The chocolate pralines were put in my bag for later consumption.
Once the second service was completed we began our descent into Newark Liberty International Airport. As the landing preparations were underway, our inflight service manager Shane (who was working in the main cabin on this flight) came to thank every passenger in BusinessFirst for choosing to fly United. I took this as an opportunity to thank Shane and Cheryl for the great service onboard the flight, and as farewell gift I got a second amenity kit of the tin can variety. I much appreciate the second kit since I save all my kits for a good friend who collects them.
We land at Newark Liberty International Airport at 11.15am, roughly ten minutes ahead of schedule. Being seated at the front of the plane I am among the first passengers to leave the aircraft, and since we arrived as domestic passengers I instantly proceed to the exit to catch the Air Train into Manhattan. From aircraft door to times square in less than one hour. Very convenient!
Arrival in Newark.
Overall I had a very pleasant flight onboard United Airlines, and given the developments which have been going on at American, Delta and US Airways it really seems that US airlines are upping their game in Business Class. For future flights across the pond, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick a US airline again.
I hope you have enjoyed the report so far. If you have any questions, feel free to comment!
TO BE CONTINUED: Next up SAS Business Class
Flying for the sake of flying is what sets us FlyerTalkers apart from the rest. While 99,9% of the population see air travel as a chore, a painful transition in getting from one point to another, a process they'd wish to just get over with, etc. Sure I can't blame them. If you're going to stand three hours in airport queues, get molested by security staff, re-mortgage your house to pay for an overpriced sandwich before spending 13 hours in Seat 96B, then yes; Air travel is a pain in the a**.
But to quote Ryan Bingham "If you hate flying, you're not doing it right". A quote which fits perfectly with the savvy FlyerTalker who knows his way around the inconveniences of air travel. Flying is for us a purely joyful experience. We skip the a queues at check-in and security, we trade the overpriced sandwich for a glass of Champagne in the lounge. We enjoy 5 course meals, and a good night's sleep in the flatbeds at the pointy end. And in those rare [or not so rare] instances of flying coach, we always make sure to nab an exit seat.
Needless to say, if the infidel who called you crazy for flying to Tokyo over a weekend knew what he was missing, he would be eternally regretful for being proven so wrong.
When an opportunity to fly for the sake of flying presents itself, I along with many others take it right away. In my case, I happened to have some leftover LifeMiles that needed spending, so after checking availability on my suited dates I came up with the following itinerary:
SNN-EWR: United Airlines BusinessFirst on the B757.
EWR-ARN: Scandinavian Airlines Business Class A330.
An ARN-DUB positioning flight on SAS was also booked, in addition to a bus ticket from Dublin to Shannon, costing me around 110 USD in total.
While I was excited about adding two new Business Class products to my repertoire, I felt incredibly happy about finally getting the chance to try SAS Long Haul Business Class, a product that I never thought I would get the chance to experience. Sure it's far from the newest, nor best product out there. SAS is unlike many other airlines very home market oriented, and while their long haul operations are almost non-existent, their Business Class fares have always been priced shamelessly.
As I am no big fan of the airline, I have refrained from joining their EuroBonus program, and since I don't have a co-branded SAS AMEX card, the likelihood of me ever seeing the pointy end have been microscopical.
While SAS may not be my favorite airline, I still fly them from time to time within Europe as they sometimes offer good fares and decent schedules. SAS have to me never been anything more than a glorified LCC, so you could perhaps imagine my [over]excitement of finally getting the chance to sample their finest offering on their flagship route. The Holy Graal of air travel, créme de la créme, the very pinnacle of exclusivity and premiumness. After all it's SAS we're talking about
Leaving Ireland
After four wonderful days in Dublin it was finally time to move on. After an ungodly wakeup at 5am, I catch the EuroLines bus from Dublin to Limerick at 7am. The bus ride takes roughly four hours and offers some scenic views of the lush irish landscape along the way. I arrive in Limerick at 11am, and after spending a few hours wandering about the streets I decide to call it a day and head to Shannon Airport.
Here are some highlights from my stay in Ireland:
Park Inn By Radisson Shannon Airport
With my flight leaving Shannon at 9am in the morning, there would be no chance of me making it from Dublin in the same day, so I was forced to spend the night prior at a hotel. Hotel options in Shannon are very limited, and unless you want to spend the night in Limerick the only hotel available is the Park Inn. Luckily I am a Club Carlson collector, and with the 38K points campaign running, I was more than happy to book the Park Inn to secure my bonus for the campaign. I secured a rate of €43,20 which is very reasonable in my books.
I arrived at the hotel around 3pm in the afternoon. Despite arriving past the check-in time, my room was not yet ready, so the friendly woman at the receptionist invited me to the Hotel pub for a complimentary pint of Guinness while waiting for my room to get ready. The barman poured an excellent pint, and after sharing a few good conversations my room was ready.
As a Carlson Gold (at the time) I was upgraded to a Superior Room with free breakfast, and I also received a small welcome gift in my room. A very nice touch.
Superior Room at the Park Inn by Radisson Shannon Airport.
Newly refurbished bathroom. Very nice!
Welcome gift consisting of a bottle of red wine, mineral water and chocolates.
There have been some mixed reviews about the Park Inn on websites such as Tripadvisor, and truth been told I tend to disagree with them. The hotel was very clean and fresh, rooms were quiet and the staff was very friendly. The hotel had a nice country house feel to itself which made my stay very enjoyable. So if you ever find yourself looking to spend the night at Shannon Airport, the Park Inn is your go-to hotel.
Tuesday February 25th 2014
After a great night’s sleep and a steady Irish breakfast, I leave the hotel at 6.55am. The hotel is located within walking distance from the Shannon terminal and by 7am I reach the check-in counters for my United Airlines flight to Newark. A total of five counters were assigned for this morning’s flight, three for Economy, one for United Premier Gold/Silver and Star Alliance Gold/Silver, and finally a Global Services counter for BusinessFirst, Global Services and Premier 1K/Platinum.
Before reaching the counters, a security checkpoint was had been set up by airline security staff. Each passenger was summoned about the contents of their luggage and the purpose of their trip before being allowed to access the check-in counters. My somewhat odd itinerary had the agent manning the checkpoint extra concerned, and I had to endure some additional questioning from a supervisor before being allowed to access the counters. Apparently the cause of the holdup was my Swedish passport of the new variety which the agent had never seen before.
With no queue at the Global Services counter I am quickly checked in for all my flights, and when the boarding passes are handed to me I find myself in a slight state of chock to see SSSS printed all over my United Airlines boarding pass.
Needless to say the security check goes without hitch, and I soon find myself in the rather dull and sterile airside portion of Shannon Airport. I make a quick visit to the rather dull Rihanna Suite Lounge before proceeding to the US Customs and Border Protection Pre-Clearance facility to have my customs and immigration formalities taken care of. Shannon and Dublin are the only two airports in Europe to feature Pre-Clearance facilities and they provide a great convenience to the passenger as you don’t have to endure queues on arrival.
The facility is used by one flight at a time, so I join the queue for passengers onboard UA24. This is where the SSSS curse strikes me hard, and after the agent inspects my boarding pass she signals to her colleague at the other end to pull me aside for an additional inspection. After sweeping my hand luggage for any potential signs of explosives I proceed to the passport control where the rather grumpy agent raises some concernes about my routing. After the usual finger prints and photo, I am taken in to the CBP office for some extra summoning by an agent. The agent turned out to be a very friendly guy in his mid 30s and after establishing that I pose no threat to America, he stamps my passport and wishes me a pleasant flight.
United Airlines flight UA24 Shannon – New York Newark
Departure: 09.00
Arrival: 11.25
Duration: 7h 25m
Date: 25 February 2014
Aircraft type: Boeing 757-200 Winglets
Seat & Class: 2F BusinessFirst
By the time I am released from the CBP office most passengers have already boarded and since Boarding Group 1 had already been called, I join the queue for Group 3 which was currently boarding. Economy Class turns out to be fully booked on this flight, whereas BusinessFirst is fairly empty. Boarding is made through door 2L and at the door I am greeted welcome by a friendly young stewardess who directs me to the left with a big smile. Oh how I love turning left at boarding!
BusinessFirst seats on the Boeing 757-200ER. Only the ex-Continental aircraft make the transatlantic crossings.
Most passengers had already made themselves comfortable in their seats by the time I arrived, and despite the light load I have an older woman as seat mate in 2E. Instantly upon settling into my seat our inflight service manager Shane comes around to greet every passenger by name in the BusinessFirst cabin. Menus and amenity kits were distributed and meal orders were taken shortly afterwards. Shane took the time to chat with every passenger in the cabin and it turns out that he used to live in Stockholm.After exchanging a few words in Swedish we are handed over to our purser Cheryl who is working in the BusinessFirst cabin on this flight.
Cheryl offered to take my order for pre-departure beverage, and unlike most European or Asian airlines there was an open bar on the ground. Out of habit I ordered a glass of Champagne, and my seat neighbor decides to follow suit. Once boarding was completed my neighbor decided to move to the penultimate row since it had an empty window seat, so I am left with two seats for myself. Perfect!
With boarding and loading complete a few minutes before scheduled departure, we leave the gate at 8.57am for an on-time departure. Our 757 rockets down the runway before taking to the murky skies above Ireland. Our ascend offers some spectacular views over the Irish coastline and the rather outlandish cloud formations above, before reaching cruising altitude roughly 25 minutes into the flight.
Cruising altitude. View from seat 2F.
On the ground I inquired about which brand of Champagne that would be served on this flight, but as the trolleys were locked and loaded Cheryl was unable to answer my question at the time. So once the seatbelt signs had been switched off, Cheryl instantly comes around to present me the bottle. The Champagne served today is Pommery Brut Royal NV and with my nodding off approval she pours me a glass. A ramekin of nuts and a glass of water are instantly brought to accompany the Champagne.
A glass of Champagne and warm nuts to start the meal service.
While I may be no Champagne expert, I found myself very pleased with the Pommery. I am mostly for fruity Champagnes as opposed to dry ones, and this Pommery offered some nice fruity tones, mild acidity with a gentle dry aftertaste.
Moments later, Cheryl comes around to lay my table. Unlike most airlines United choses not to use trays in BusinessFirst and all the items are laid out individually on the table. To be honest there isn’t much effort required from the crew to lay the table and I really think more airlines should follow their lead as it adds a nice premium touch to the experience.
Table setup in United BusinessFirst. Very elegant!
With the table laid, an appetizer cart is rolled out. Unlike back in the olden days when the CO catering concept was still in use, there is no hot appetizer or soup. Instead all appetizers are plated table side which again is a nice touch.
Appetizer consisting of smoked loin of salmon, roman lettuce and gravlax with wasabi mayonnaise.
While the portion size may have been more akin to a small canapé, in other words minimal, the taste was absolutely fantastic. The salmon was fresh and had a very nice non-fatty texture. Despite being somewhat lean, the salmon packed some great flavors which were complemented well by the wasabi mayonnaise. Overall this was a very enjoyable starter, with the small portion size being my only gripe.
After the starter plates had been cleared, the salad course was served from the galley.
Salad consisting of rocket leaves, spinach, cherry tomatoes, walnuts and croutons. All sprinkled with a nice balsamic vinaigrette.
Unlike most americans, I prefer not to have my salad drenched in a fatty Rhode Island dressing so I opted for the lighter balsamic vinaigrette. The salad itself was generously proportioned, served nicely chilled and all the ingredients tasted very fresh. I particularly enjoyed the variety of textures coming from the croutons and walnuts, and the dressing helped soften up the croutons which helped enhance the flavor of the both. Again a very enjoyable salad course and I really appreciate that United serves it as a separate course, as opposed to on the side like most European airlines do.
Next up was the main course. Since a few months back, I have stopped ordering red meat on planes since the cabin conditions are too harsh for the meat. Instead I have opted more for fish courses which come out fairly well when served on an aircraft.
Main course of tilapia fillet with chili coconut milk sauce, shrimp, green beans, grated potato, served on a bed of basmati rice.
Once again United manages to impress with the main course, and this tilapia fillet is sublime! The fish is nice and moist in its texture while at the same time maintaining a lot of flavor. The coconut milk sauce complements the fish well without masking any of its flavors, and the grated potato adds an interesting crunchy texture to the dish. Basmati rice is fluffy and perfectly cooked, and the green beans are strangely enough served cold. Overall one of the better fish courses I’ve had on an airplane, and for future references I will stick to ordering fish.
With the plates from the main course cleared, Cheryl rolls out the cheese cart. Despite being very full from the main course, I soldier on and accept her offer for some cheese and port.
Cheese plate consisting of cheddar, chčvre, camembert and blue cheese. Served with a glass of port.
To my big surprise, the cheese was served at room temperature which is the only proper way to serve cheese as the higher temperature helps bringing out all the flavors of the cheese.The texture was nice and soft, and I particularly liked the chčvre. Though the amount of crackers may have been a bit small and I would have also preferred some fig paste to act as the sweet component. Thankfully the port wine worked well as a substitute, and the sweetness from the wine was enough to balance the savoriness from the cheese.
Since I was fairly slow in devouring the courses, I missed the sundae cart but thankfully Cheryl offers to make me one in the galley. An offer which I accept, and soon I am presented with this decadent creation:
Ice cream sundae with chocolate and caramel sauce, strawberries, grated almonds, whipped cream and cherries on the top.
The sundae cart is a signature feature on most US airlines, including United. Despite being stuffed to the brim after the extensive meal service I enjoy every single bite of my ice cream sundae. Interestingly enough the ice cream had a nice and soft texture to it which is fairly unusual since ice cream is stored in dry ice on airplanes, which results in it being served rock hard for most of the times.
The meal service is completed approximately two and a half hours into the flight, and feeling full after lunch I decide to explore the seat features before having a lie-down.
The BusinessFirst seat is one of the better fully-flat seats that I have come across. It offers a good amount of personal storage space both in the shelf under the screen and in the small compartment beside the headrest. The back compartment contains a USB connector, power outlets and headphones. It was large enough to fit my DSLR camera bag and Bose QC15 headphone case, making them easily accessible throughout the flight. The slightly staggered layout and cocooned seat design provides a great deal of privacy from your fellow passengers.
Legroom is very generous, and the small ottoman is a nice feature as well.
The seat controls are very simple as they consist of only four buttons, but in spite of that I found the seat to be very comfortable in both the upright and lounge position. Being six foot tall, I found the seat slightly cramped in bed mode, despite the length of the seat being advertised as 2 meters. For window passengers the foot space is very restricted and if you have large feet, I would suggest either picking an aisle or a bulkhead seat.
United offer a fairly extensive entertainment selection onboard their International Boeing 757-200, featuring roughly 100 movies and TV programs. The number of newly released titles was fairly sparse, but seeing that I only had four hours left of the flight, I settled for Last Vegas and The Internship. Two very entertaining movies.
The 15,4 inch entertainment screen in BusinessFirst. It offers a good resolution and image quality.
Halfway through the flight a slightly burned smell emerges through the cabin. My first reaction was that there might be a fire onboard, but moments later Cheryl shows up with a tray of freshly baked cooked. Disaster averted
Cookies & Milk. A perfect mid-flight snack.
The reminder of the flight proceeds in a nice and calm tempo, and before I know it we have already made landfall over Newfoundland, steadily approaching US airspace.
Approximately 60 minutes before arrival in Newark a light meal is served. Seeing that I’m still full from lunch, I was originally planning to skip the meal in favor for more rest, but in the interest of this trip report I ”took one for the team”.
Pre-arrival snack consisting of a hot chicken tortilla wrap, vegetable salsa, fruit salad and Lily O’Brien chocolate pralines.
The meal came as a bit of a letdown and was nowhere near as good as the lunch served earlier. The wrap was served lukewarm and the contents were soggy and nearly unidentifiable. I only eat a couple of bites before putting it aside. The fruit salad on the other hand was very tasty. Fruit tasted ripe and fresh. The chocolate pralines were put in my bag for later consumption.
Once the second service was completed we began our descent into Newark Liberty International Airport. As the landing preparations were underway, our inflight service manager Shane (who was working in the main cabin on this flight) came to thank every passenger in BusinessFirst for choosing to fly United. I took this as an opportunity to thank Shane and Cheryl for the great service onboard the flight, and as farewell gift I got a second amenity kit of the tin can variety. I much appreciate the second kit since I save all my kits for a good friend who collects them.
We land at Newark Liberty International Airport at 11.15am, roughly ten minutes ahead of schedule. Being seated at the front of the plane I am among the first passengers to leave the aircraft, and since we arrived as domestic passengers I instantly proceed to the exit to catch the Air Train into Manhattan. From aircraft door to times square in less than one hour. Very convenient!
Arrival in Newark.
Overall I had a very pleasant flight onboard United Airlines, and given the developments which have been going on at American, Delta and US Airways it really seems that US airlines are upping their game in Business Class. For future flights across the pond, I wouldn’t hesitate to pick a US airline again.
I hope you have enjoyed the report so far. If you have any questions, feel free to comment!
TO BE CONTINUED: Next up SAS Business Class
Last edited by LH4116; May 11, 2014 at 11:04 am
Mar 7, 2014, 11:19 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
I always love seeing reports on my home airline (United), especially from folks who don't normally fly it. United gets skewered on FT, but it's always gratifying when someone without preconceived notions flies them and reports that, despite the gloom and doom on FlyerTalk, the in-flight experience isn't half bad. I've had some tremendous flights in United C. Glad to see that you enjoyed yours! ^
Mar 8, 2014, 7:10 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
I always love seeing reports on my home airline (United), especially from folks who don't normally fly it. United gets skewered on FT, but it's always gratifying when someone without preconceived notions flies them and reports that, despite the gloom and doom on FlyerTalk, the in-flight experience isn't half bad. I've had some tremendous flights in United C. Glad to see that you enjoyed yours! ^
UA have indeed taken quite a lot of bashing here on FlyerTalk and frankly I think some of it might be a bit too hard on them. I kept my expectations low regarding the service, but I was very pleasantly surprised to have them exceeded. In Business Class they managed to maintain the same standard as most EU airlines, and I wouldn't think twice about flying them again.
Mar 8, 2014, 11:18 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Portland
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, IHG Platinum, Starbucks Gold
Posts: 391
Great report! Great photography!
(Though in fairness, most Americans you talk to will have never even heard of Rhode Island dressing which is, in fact, Swedish.)
(Though in fairness, most Americans you talk to will have never even heard of Rhode Island dressing which is, in fact, Swedish.)
Mar 8, 2014, 12:08 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA CONCIERGE KEY & 1MM, HILTON DIAMOND
Posts: 11,970
Great pics!
However, I must say that UA keeps getting more and more distasteful... seriously, serving cookies in a cheap paper wrap on international Business Class is unacceptable.
However, I must say that UA keeps getting more and more distasteful... seriously, serving cookies in a cheap paper wrap on international Business Class is unacceptable.
Mar 8, 2014, 1:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,609
"SSSS" is a right of passage for American air travel. You have to experience it at least once...
Mar 9, 2014, 12:02 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: HKG/YVR/NYC
Programs: AC 75K, A3*G, AS MVPG, AA LT Gold 1MM, JL/JGC (OWS) , Marriott Titanium, Hertz 5*, Avis PC
Posts: 3,697
Flying for the sake of flying is what sets us FlyerTalkers apart from the rest. While 99,9% of the population see air travel as a chore, a painful transition in getting from one point to another, a process they'd wish to just get over with, etc. Sure I can't blame them. If you're going to stand three hours in airport queues, get molested by security staff, re-mortgage your house to pay for an overpriced sandwich before spending 13 hours in Seat 96B, then yes; Air travel is a pain in the a**.
But to quote Ryan Bingham "If you hate flying, you're not doing it right". A quote which fits perfectly with the savvy FlyerTalker who knows his way around the inconveniences of air travel. Flying is for us a purely joyful experience. We skip the a queues at check-in and security, we trade the overpriced sandwich for a glass of Champagne in the lounge. We enjoy 5 course meals, and a good night's sleep in the flatbeds at the pointy end. And in those rare [or not so rare] instances of flying coach, we always make sure to nab an exit seat.
Needless to say, if the infidel who called you crazy for flying to Tokyo over a weekend knew what he was missing, he would be eternally regretful for being proven so wrong.
But to quote Ryan Bingham "If you hate flying, you're not doing it right". A quote which fits perfectly with the savvy FlyerTalker who knows his way around the inconveniences of air travel. Flying is for us a purely joyful experience. We skip the a queues at check-in and security, we trade the overpriced sandwich for a glass of Champagne in the lounge. We enjoy 5 course meals, and a good night's sleep in the flatbeds at the pointy end. And in those rare [or not so rare] instances of flying coach, we always make sure to nab an exit seat.
Needless to say, if the infidel who called you crazy for flying to Tokyo over a weekend knew what he was missing, he would be eternally regretful for being proven so wrong.
Couldn't have said it any better, LH4116
That is ONE BIG Glass of Milk!
BAHAHA LOL I always love seeing reports on my home airline (United), especially from folks who don't normally fly it. United gets skewered on FT, but it's always gratifying when someone without preconceived notions flies them and reports that, despite the gloom and doom on FlyerTalk, the in-flight experience isn't half bad. I've had some tremendous flights in United C. Glad to see that you enjoyed yours! ^
Seat looks good, food overall looks ok, except for the size of the appetizer and pre-arrival snack.
I better step up my game and finish up my current TR, since I do have a "Gloom and Doom" United TR i should write about.
If LH4116 Business Elite is the 21st Century of United then mine was flying the 90's Version of United
Do you remember the photos I showed you last time LH4116?
Mar 9, 2014, 7:27 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat Pro, KrisFlyer Elite Gold
Posts: 578
While SAS may not be my favorite airline, I still fly them from time to time within Europe as they sometimes offer good fares and decent schedules. SAS have to me never been anything more than a glorified LCC, so you could perhaps imagine my [over]excitement of finally getting the chance to sample their finest offering on their flagship route. The Holy Graal of air travel, créme de la créme, the very pinnacle of exclusivity and premiumness. After all it's SAS we're talking about
on the plus side, the FAs were great, although the food was inedible.
looking forward to rest of report!
Mar 9, 2014, 7:33 pm
#12
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat Pro, KrisFlyer Elite Gold
Posts: 578
I always love seeing reports on my home airline (United), especially from folks who don't normally fly it. United gets skewered on FT, but it's always gratifying when someone without preconceived notions flies them and reports that, despite the gloom and doom on FlyerTalk, the in-flight experience isn't half bad. I've had some tremendous flights in United C. Glad to see that you enjoyed yours! ^
Mar 10, 2014, 11:23 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: LAX
Programs: UA, Bonvoy, Amex Plat
Posts: 1,582
Originally Posted by sriegert
i agree FT can be an echo chamber. i also think alot of the criticism of UA is justified.
Originally Posted by Short hair Francis
I'll agree with you on this one. From LH4116 TR, his BusinessElite doesn't look half bad at all.
Seat looks good, food overall looks ok, except for the size of the appetizer and pre-arrival snack.
I better step up my game and finish up my current TR, since I do have a "Gloom and Doom" United TR i should write about.
Seat looks good, food overall looks ok, except for the size of the appetizer and pre-arrival snack.
I better step up my game and finish up my current TR, since I do have a "Gloom and Doom" United TR i should write about.
Mar 11, 2014, 8:16 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Thank you guys for the second round of replies. I'm glad you enjoyed! 2nd part should be up sometime this week. Just got back from a weekend in Geneva, hence why I haven't had much time left for writing.
Thank you UA_Flyer, I'm glad you enjoyed the report! SAS Business is indeed a pretty rare product here on FT. Service is a hit or miss, but I would suggest trying them out next year when they get the new seats.
Thank you! True Rhode Island dressing is a Swedish thing, and now when I think of it I recall the other option being Ranch Dressing. I guess the European and US palates differ in the way that most americans prefer a more rich dressing as opposed to a light vinaigrette
Thank you for stopping by! For a mid-flight snack, I don't really mind that it was served in a paper wrapping. When you get your freshly baked cookies from the bakery they come in a paper bag as well, so it kind of adds some "authenticity" to it. Besides BA serves packed sandwiches as pre-arrival snack in Club World, so I would call that more distasteful.
I suppose that is true. It was my first visit to the USA so it could have been one cause why I was chosen.
Thank you Short Hair Francis! I'm glad that you found the time to read my report
I have size 10 shoes, so I did find the space to be a little restricted but I was able to move around my feet, and also utilize the small space between the seat and cabin wall. I wasn't uncomfortable in any way, but I some more space would have been much appreciated.
They were tiny indeed. Maybe I should have pulled an SHF and asked for a 2nd one
HAHA maybe. I guess the man has a point. Sometimes you must force yourself to eat a little more just in the interest of the report. Would've been a bit wasteful to accept the food only for the photo-op and not eat it
Yeah in truth I should be singing my praises to Continental Airlines since I was flying on an ex-CO route on an ex-CO aircraft with the ex-CO service concept (almost) to an ex-CO hub with an ex-CO crew onboard.
So I guess I should try the real United before making my final verdict. Based on this experience though, they were anything but underachievers. I do remember the pictures you showed me, the shrimp salad in particular. Impressive size on those shrimp
In Economy I suppose US airlines are much inferior to their European counterparts. So I wouldn't have been so keen on doing the same trip in the back
Thank you very much! CPH is perhaps the weak point in the SAS network, and yet they chose to make it their hub. The danish staff is quite rude for the most, especially the danish flight attendants (the Swedish ones are a dream though), and the ground staff in particular don't seem very familiar with the bagage rules of Star Alliance. For instance people have been denied priority tags, as they claim they are only for SAS EuroBonus Gold and not Star Gold, which is untrue.
The lounge in CPH is pretty good in my opinion, at least the Gold section. The Business lounge is pretty dreadful, with poor drink options. Food has gotten quite bad lately as well, since they used to have a rather respectable spread. Nowadays you'd only find some nondescript paté, week old quiche and pickled herring. Terrible in other words.
HAHA maybe. I guess the man has a point. Sometimes you must force yourself to eat a little more just in the interest of the report. Would've been a bit wasteful to accept the food only for the photo-op and not eat it
I better step up my game and finish up my current TR, since I do have a "Gloom and Doom" United TR i should write about.
If LH4116 Business Elite is the 21st Century of United then mine was flying the 90's Version of United
Do you remember the photos I showed you last time LH4116?
If LH4116 Business Elite is the 21st Century of United then mine was flying the 90's Version of United
Do you remember the photos I showed you last time LH4116?
So I guess I should try the real United before making my final verdict. Based on this experience though, they were anything but underachievers. I do remember the pictures you showed me, the shrimp salad in particular. Impressive size on those shrimp
I flew SAS on an inter-european route last year and was extremely disappointed. check-in at CPH was a hot mess (had to argue over baggage limits as *G), the airport was disorganized and the lounge was only passable.
on the plus side, the FAs were great, although the food was inedible.
looking forward to rest of report!
on the plus side, the FAs were great, although the food was inedible.
looking forward to rest of report!
The lounge in CPH is pretty good in my opinion, at least the Gold section. The Business lounge is pretty dreadful, with poor drink options. Food has gotten quite bad lately as well, since they used to have a rather respectable spread. Nowadays you'd only find some nondescript paté, week old quiche and pickled herring. Terrible in other words.